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Go Fly a Kite!

Spring Fever

Spring is in the air! I can hear it, see it, feel it, smell it and almost taste it! I’ve been hearing birds chatting in the early morning hours, I’ve seen green starting to appear in yards and gardens, the air feels different as the days get longer, and it even smells different! I’m itching to get outside.

This happens every year. Pre-spring mild weather tempts and taunts, regardless of whether Punxutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2 or not.

Here in Colorado, March can be as fickle as a teenage girl. The adage “in like a lamb; out like a lion,” often holds true, and we’ve certainly had lamb-like weather in March thus far. We’re likely in for at least one more substantial snowstorm.

Regardless, spring fever is like the call of the wild—the yearning to get outside, run free, enjoy nature, and feed our souls. Bright sunshine often masks cold temperatures and strong winds, however, especially in March. Of all the types of weather conditions we face, wind typically doesn’t show up on anybody’s list of favorites! It messes up our carefully coiffed hair, chaps our skin, blows trash and anything you happen to drop, and sometimes feels like pets and small children could be at risk. It’s just irritating! It also increases the risk of wildfires. I’m not a fan.

Blowing in the Wind

But wind can certainly be useful. Wind farms exist all over the world, generating electricity by converting kinetic energy to electric energy. Much of Colorado’s energy is produced by the huge wind farms across our state, as our energy company harnesses this force of nature to power our homes and businesses.

Wind can also be fun. No really! I’m not just looking at it through the rose-colored glasses of spring fever. One wind-blown activity that comes to mind is kite flying. Kites have existed for many years, with the earliest ones dating back to the time of Christ. Most accounts indicate that kites originated in China, and one legend tells of a Shandong farmer who tied a string to his hat to prevent the high winds from blowing it away! That makes kind of a funny picture, doesn’t it?

Most people recall Ben Franklin’s well-known experiment with a kite and lightning, and the Wright brothers also utilized kites in their research to build the first airplane. NASA also started using kites in the 1950s to aid in their spaceship recovery missions. Disney gave us some memorable musical family bonding and kite-flying imagery in Mary Poppins.

“Let’s go fly a kite, up to the highest heights.

Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring …”

I was trying to remember the last time I actually flew a kite. It’s been a long time. Much too long. I think that might be just the ticket to get outside and feed my soul, even in this infernal wind.

Let the wind blow, let the snow fall. Nature and its unpredictable predictability continue to urge and lure, and I’m going to succumb to the temptation just as soon as I can. My soul needs to be fed and nourished, just like my body. Just like my skin.